While digital transformation has made communication easier through multiple channels, it also brings challenges—one of the biggest being the difficulty of identifying traffic sources. If you regularly run email campaigns, social media posts, paid ads, or partnerships, UTM tags are—or soon will be—your valuable allies. Below is a practical guide to help you make the most of UTM tagging in Google Analytics 4.
What are UTM tags and how do they work in GA4?
UTM tags (Urchin Tracking Module) are special parameters added to URLs. They enable Google Analytics 4 to recognise the source, medium, campaign, and other details related to traffic origin, allowing for accurate performance tracking of each campaign, newsletter, or social media post. Compared to Universal Analytics, GA4 offers even more capabilities, allowing deeper segmentation and more precise traffic reporting.
Why use UTM tags?
Modern online marketing spans hundreds of channels and contact points. Without proper link tagging, keeping track of performance data and evaluating marketing efficiency becomes chaotic. UTM tags bring order to that chaos—they help you accurately track where your traffic comes from, which marketing efforts are performing well, and how to optimise your budget. Consistent UTM tagging results in reliable and clear GA4 reports, enabling business decisions based on trustworthy data.
UTM parameters in Google Analytics 4
To use UTMs effectively, it is important to understand the basic parameters. Below is an overview of key UTM parameters, their functions, example values, and practical tips:
| Parameter | Description and purpose | Example values | Tips |
| utm_source | Identifies the traffic source (where the user came from). Helps track top-performing sources. | facebook, newsletter, google | Use consistent naming, e.g., always facebook, not facebook and FB. |
| utm_medium | Identifies the marketing channel used. Helps compare promotional formats. | email, cpc, social, banner | Use structured names like paid_social, organic_social, email. |
| utm_campaign | Assigns traffic to a specific campaign. Facilitates campaign-level performance analysis. | black-friday-2025, newsletter_apr_2025 | Use clear, descriptive names like mailing_offer_012025. |
| utm_term | Differentiates keywords (mainly in paid campaigns). | ga4_training, marketing | Optional; useful in Google Ads or other PPC campaigns. |
| utm_content | Differentiates ad variations or links within the same campaign. | banner_1, data_analytics | Useful for A/B tests or link placements in newsletters. |
| utm_id | Unique campaign identifier, required for cost import into GA4. | 123456, analytics_343 | Recommended for advanced integrations or multi-platform campaigns. |
| utm_source_platform | Indicates the platform driving the traffic (e.g., campaign management tool). | search_ads_360 | Optional; useful in large organisations using tools like Campaign Manager. |
| utm_creative_format | Specifies creative format (e.g., display, native, video); not reported in GA4. | display, video | Optional; used mainly in advanced setups or automation. |
| utm_marketing_tactic | Defines marketing tactic (e.g., remarketing, prospecting); also not reported in GA4. | remarketing, prospecting | Optional; for complex campaign structures. |
| utm_campaign_id | Alternative campaign ID (less commonly used). | 78910 | May be used in integrations with external ad systems. |
Note: Only the parameters listed above are officially supported by GA4. Incorrect formats or custom parameters will not be recorded. Always use lowercase letters, avoid Polish characters, and replace spaces with hyphens or underscores. Document all used tags in a central file to make analysis easier and ensure consistency across your team.
Practical UTM tagging examples
Here are a few examples of correctly tagged URLs you can use in your campaigns:
- Email campaign:
- Paid Facebook campaign:
- Google Ads campaign
- Partner campaign:
Best practices and common mistakes in UTM tagging
To ensure your data is reliable and easy to analyse, it is important to follow best practices and avoid common tagging errors.
Best practices
To get the most out of UTM tagging, stick to the following rules:
- Only tag links that lead to your website from external sources.
- Use consistent naming conventions for sources and mediums.
- Always use lowercase letters—GA4 is case-sensitive.
- Avoid Polish characters and spaces; instead, use hyphens or underscores.
- Maintain documentation and a tagging archive to streamline onboarding and ensure consistency.
- Use only GA4-supported parameters, written exactly as specified.
Common mistakes
Avoid these typical tagging errors:
- Inconsistent naming (e.g., “Facebook” vs “facebook”).
- Tagging internal links.
- Lack of documentation or oversight of tagging practices.
- Using unsupported or custom parameters.
- Campaign names that are too vague or unclear.
UTM tag organisation, documentation and standardisation
Clean data starts with clean tagging. A centralised documentation system for all UTM tags is essential for teams that take analytics seriously. Shared Google Sheets or Excel documents work well for this—they can store your full list of campaigns, sources, mediums, and parameters used. Your documentation should include: examples of correct tagging, a glossary of naming conventions, campaign start/end dates, assigned owners and responsible team members. This helps maintain order, prevent duplication, reduce errors, and speed up onboarding for new team members.
If you are looking to better organise and standardise UTM practices across your company, try using our simple downloadable UTM builder. It can be implemented individually or organisation-wide and works perfectly as a central sheet for generating and documenting all tracked URLs.
FAQ: what more do you need to know?
UTM tagging may seem straightforward, but many users run into the same questions. Here are some of the most common ones we hear from clients, with clear answers:
Do I need to tag all links?
No—only tag links that lead to your site from external sources.
Does letter case matter?
Yes, GA4 treats uppercase and lowercase letters as different values, so stick to lowercase for consistency.
Can I use special characters like Polish letters?
It is not recommended because they can cause issues with data reporting.
Does the order of parameters in the URL matter?
As long as they are formatted correctly—no.
Which parameters are required?
To ensure complete tracking, always use utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign. If you are importing cost data into GA4, use utm_id as well.
Summary
UTM tagging in Google Analytics 4 is one of the cornerstones of effective marketing analytics. Consistency and discipline in how you apply UTM parameters not only improves campaign tracking accuracy, but also builds trust in your data. That means every marketing decision is backed by clear, reliable insights.
It is worth noting that successful UTM management is not a one-time task—it is an ongoing process based on clear standards, the right tools, proper documentation, and regular audits. Tools like UTM builders and continuous team training will help you keep things in order.
Remember: the better your tagging system and awareness, the greater your control over your data—and ultimately, your competitive edge in digital marketing. Do not underestimate this step. The benefits are tangible not just in the numbers, but in the everyday workflow of your analytics and marketing team.
Need help with UTM implementation or want to clean up your current tagging structure? Fill out the form below and our analysts will help you design an optimal tagging framework and ensure consistent setup across your organisation.
